Filmmaker Showcase

99 Pieces Wraps & Is Hitting the Festival Trail

2007-09-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

After almost a year since it's a wrap, Falcons Productions “99 Pieces” has a busy Halloween season lined up. Since it's completion in January, the film has already taken home the award for Best Horror Film of the Year by the Bare Bones International Film Festival and an Official Selection at the Independent Features Film Festival at the world famous Tribeca Cinemas in NYC.

The first weekend in October (Oct 7th, – 8pm) marks the Third Official Selection at the Shriekfest Horror Film Festival in Hollywood, CA, where the film screens for audiences at the beautiful Chaplin Theatre located inside Raleigh Studios, the longest continuously operating studio in the country. The second weekend in October (Oct 14th – 5:30pm) marks the Fourth Official Selection for the film, which screens at the Spooky Movie Film Festival in Washington D.C. Spooky Movie calls the film Claustrophobic, intense with superb acting and direction.

Following up in D.C, the third weekend in October (October 19th and 20th) the film receives it’s Fifth Official Selection in Tampa Florida at the 5th Annual Halloween Horror Picture Show which will be held among a special Halloween treat for guest because the festival is now part of an annual Halloweenapalooza; a weekend filled with films, tricks, treating, games and much more. Taking a break for a few weeks until the second weekend in November (November 16th-18th) “99 Pieces” takes the honored spot among many other great films with it’s Sixth Official Selection at the After Dark Films and Bloody-Disgusting Horror Hound Weekend in Indianapolis. In it’s second year the festival contains more than 25 guests ranging from John Landis to Gunnar Hansen.

Finishing up it’s festival run, Writer/Director/Star - Anthony Falcon will be attending the coveted Beloit International Film Festival running January 17th-20th 2008. The Beloit Festival will mark the Seventh Official Selection. The Beloit festival has been called, “One of the four alternatives to Sundance”, by the New York Times as well as “a must see event” and “the next big thing” by Movie Maker Magazine.

“99 Pieces” tells the story of Joshua Licet who must lock board himself in his home for 40 days and nights while he must live through the loss of food, water, electricity and much more, while discovering a puzzle of lies and deception about himself, his wife and his family.

Falcon recently said, “the press, screenings and acclaim that “99 Pieces” is taking home shows you it’s not all about the body count and bloodshed; a quality audience still loves a good story as much as a dead body. As long as people continue to watch, I’ll keep giving them more story and twist than bloodshed and bodies.”

New Flick from Director of The Last Broadcast

2006-04-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Lance Weiler, co-directer of The Last Broadcast, has just finished his new horror film Head Trauma. Here's a shot from the film.

This one tells the story of George Walker, a drifter, who after a 20 year absence, has returned home to settle his grandmother's estate. As if awakening from a long dream, he finds his childhood home condemned and littered with the remnants of squatters. In the midst of trying to save his past, George falls and strikes his head, triggering an onslaught of vivid nightmares and waking visions. As the horror intrudes on George's reality, his conviction grows that someone or something is trying to kill him.

Check out the site here http://headtraumamovie.com, which features an interactive comic with a bunch of twisted things hidden below the surface. We haven't gotten there yet ourselves but there's reportedly a special surprise waiting for those who make to the end. Next up Head Trauma hits the film festival circuit.

Donnie Goth Webstrip

2006-04-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Ricardo Porven creator of Three Days the Devil Danced and Chupacabra announces his latest project, Donnie Goth.

Donnie Goth is a webstrip that chronicles the misadventures of a seven-year-old Goth boy named Donnie and his zombie creating necro-salamander pet, Oliver. The strip is featured on its own website donniegoth.com with plans to expand to other sites soon. Unlike the many static webcomics popular on the internet today, the strip makes use of an innovative navigation tool, sound effects and a background music track. It also features a button on each panel that allows you to remove the word balloons, letting the viewer appreciate the artwork without the dialogue.

The site also features free downloads of desktop pictures and avatars as well as a store, where a fan could purchase a rather good-looking collection of Donnie Goth merchandise. "I plan to add new features, strips, and merchandise regularly, so it’s important for people to check back every couple of weeks or so," Porven said.

Free Screening of King Kong's Skull Island

2006-03-18T16:32:00.000-08:00

Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Fangoria Entertainment announce "King Kong: The Beast Meets the Legends of Sci-Fi," a FREE special viewing of exclusive footage from Peter Jackson’s KING KONG DVD. This will be the one and only Theatrical Screening of "Skull Island," A DVD bonus feature from the 2-Disc Special Edition DVD of KING KONG.

Following the DVD presentation, the evening will continue with a showing of THE SCI-FI BOYS, feature documentary by Paul Davids also coming to DVD. Then a panel discussion with Forrest J Ackerman, Basil Gogos, Steve Johnson and Paul Davids.

This is happening Tuesday, March 21 at 7 p.m. at The Egyptian Theater (Hollywood, CA). To RSVP, please call 818-777-0604.

PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY! SEATS ARE NOT GUARANTEED, ARE LIMITED TO THEATRE CAPACITY AND ARE FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED. TICKET DISTRIBUTION WILL BEGIN AT APPROXIMATELY 5:30 PM. NO TICKETS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AFTER 6:30 PM. NO ADMITTANCE WILL BE PERMITTED ONCE SCREENING HAS BEGUN.

Two New Flicks from Herschell Gordon Lewis

2006-03-03T17:58:00.000-08:00

Film State 51 International and legendary film director Herschell Gordon Lewis announced two new live-action feature film projects: HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS'S GRIM FAIRY TALES and BACK IN BLOOD: REVENGE OF THE GORE-CRAZED MANIACS.

"Film State 51 is honored to have the opportunity to work with the 'Godfather of Gore'. Mr. Lewis is a cinematic pioneer and horror legend, whose work is more relevant than ever before," said Andrew Allan, president and producer, Film State 51. "His film legacy continues to grow - in both popularity and notoriety - and the world is on the verge of a major Herschell Gordon Lewis renaissance."

HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS'S GRIM FAIRY TALES marks a return to directing by Lewis, the innovator of the modern horror film, with an all-new fractured fairy tale of a TV game show where if you give a wrong answer, you may lose your head! Or a limb! "This will be my crowning cinematic achievement! We have a great production team in place, and a story that'll spray the big screens with blood," says Lewis, adding wryly, "Stage blood, of course."

Packed with Lewis's signature scenes of cinematic gore and outrageous humor, GRIM FAIRY TALES will entertain horror and comedy fans alike. Mr. Lewis has written the script and will direct, with Film State 51 partners Andrew Allan and Andy Lalino serving as producers, and award-winning Tom Linkiewicz as editor.

BACK IN BLOOD: REVENGE OF THE GORE-CRAZED MANIACS is an all-new feature film based on characters created by Herschell Gordon Lewis. The deranged maniacs from his most infamous horror masterpieces: Fuad Ramses (BLOOD FEAST), Montag the Magnificent (THE WIZARD OF GORE), Adam Sorg (COLOR ME BLOOD RED), and Rodney & Granny Pringle (THE GRUESOME TWOSOME) join forces in a diabolical plot of world domination. They're back from the grave - together for the first time ever in the same movie! "BACK IN BLOOD will be a dream come true for my fans," adds Lewis. "To see my beloved super-villains teamed up in such an ingenious story pleases me to no end. It'll be a wonderfully horrific addition to the legacy." Film State 51's award-winning filmmakers/producers Andy Lalino and Andrew Allan have authored the screenplay, and will produce and direct, with Tom Linkiewicz serving as editor.

Both projects are expected to commence production in 2006. "There are at least five different HGL projects in the works between Film State 51 and other production companies," says Lalino. "But what sets our projects apart is that they offer our audience the only HGL-related feature films which aren't remakes - the storylines are new and refreshingly original." Film State 51's Tom Linkiewicz adds: "As devotees of the genre ourselves, we know what horror fans around the world have been longing for, and we believe these films give them every reason to get very excited."

Herschell Gordon Lewis is affectionately known as the "Godfather of Gore" for pioneering the modern horror film with his 1963 release BLOOD FEAST. It was the first film in history to depict overtly violent and gory scenes, and was an immediate success. HGL horror classics TWO-THOUSAND MANIACS!, COLOR ME BLOOD RED, and THE WIZARD OF GORE soon followed, furthering Lewis's reputation as a Master of Horror.

Famous horror icons Hannibal Lecter, Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, and Jason Voorhees all owe their cinema stature to the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis, a visionary who single-handedly set the rules for the modern horror movie.

Final Destination 3 Exclusive Pics

2006-01-12T18:49:00.000-08:00

Final Destination 3 is set to hit theaters Feb. 10 and we got our hands on a stack of exclusive photos for your horror perusal.

Set six years after the original flick, the latest installment in the series centers around a high school senior who has a premonition of a fatal roller coaster accident involving herself and all her friends. When the premonition proves true, those who have "cheated death" and survived the accident are forced to deal with the repercussions of escaping their fate.

This time the Final Destination movie stars Ryan Merriman (The Ring Two) and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. It's directed by original flick helmer James Wong. Be sure to check out the exclusive pics below, as well as a link video montage.

Casting for Fear of Clowns Sequel

2006-01-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

Kangas Kahn Films, LLC is seeking experienced actors for Fear of
Clowns 2 - the sequel to their second film, Fear of Clowns, which will be distributed by Lion's Gate Home Entertainment in February of 2006. Auditions for FOC2 will be held in February/March, with dates to be announced.

The film will be non-union(SAG financial core is acceptable), to be shot over 20 days in May/June of 2006(Maryland). Copy, credit, and meals to all actors. Paid rate for major roles.

They will consider actors from any location for the paid roles—all other roles will be filled by locals. We will accept videotaped auditions from out-of-state applicants--only after we have seen a headshot and provided sides.

The following details are from Kangas Kahn Films.
IMPORTANT: You may email your picture/s and resume to the address below on the following terms. Please read the terms carefully—if you fail to follow them we will delete your submission without viewing it.

Your picture/s may not be larger than 500K(half a meg) in size. Any attachments larger than that will be deleted without being viewed. Do not zip the file—any zipped files will be deleted. Your resume should be in the body of the email—cut and paste it if you have to. If it is attached it will not be viewed. The only attachment should be a headshot. Do not send multiple emails. If you have not heard back from us within 3 weeks, you may submit again. If we receive your email we will respond, regardless of whether we’re interested or not. If we let you know that we are not interested, please do not resubmit. Please do not feel the need to email us and thank us for taking the time to consider you—this is simply our attempt to cut down on the massive volume of emails we receive, not an attempt to be haughty. Acceptable file formats are: .jpg, .tif, .bmp, .gif

Send hard copies to:

Marauder Productions
PO Box 698
Glen Burnie, MD 21060-0698

Parts needed can be found at:
http://www.kangaskahnfilms.com/foc2-roles.htm

Prison of the Psychotic Damned Trailer Available

2006-01-10T08:09:00.000-08:00

The first trailer for Darkside Film's Prison of the Psychotic Damned is available.

Synopsis: Five ghost hunters spend the night in the Buffalo Central Terminal a long abandoned train terminal located deep in the heart of Buffalo's notorious East side ghetto. The terminal is said to be haunted by those who have died within its cold stone walls. What begins as a joke turns into a terrifying nightmare as the five are assaulted by the psychotic dead.

This is director D. W. Kann's (Ancient Evil 2: Guardian of the Underworld) second feature and will be completed Spring 2006.

Threading Over Dark Trailer Online

2006-01-10T07:58:00.000-08:00

Director and writer G. William Stechman and producer Todd Gearou announced the release of the second trailer for the independent film Threading Over Dark. Stechman based the story on a series of murders that took place in Northern California in the mid '90s. Both the newest trailer and official posters are available via the film’s official website.

Threading Over Dark has already been chosen to run in Malaga, Spain’s International Week of Fantasy, which will take place Spring 2006.

Raising the Stakes Hits DVD

2005-11-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

After producing around twenty short films and learning the craft and with the upcoming graduation of his high school friends, who made up the rest of IWC Films's regular cast and crew, writer/director Justin Channell decided that it was time to attempt to make a feature. He claims the main reason was to make a film that was somewhat substantial and would cause people to take notice and actually remember them.

What resulted was Raising The Stakes, a vampire comedy that provides a satirical indictment on high school discrimination and obsessive role-playing lifestyles. The film stars Josh Lively and Zane Crosby, who founded IWC Films with Channell in 2002, as well as Ryan Stocking, who was a new science teacher at their high school who was interested in their work. As Crosby quipped at the premiere of the film, "The title 'Raising The Stakes'... it had nothing to do with vampires, it was about Ryan Stocking's career."

Channell also managed to get cameo appearances from Lloyd Kaufman, Troma Studios co-founder and creator of the Toxic Avenger. Channell had been a fan of Kaufman's work and frequently cites him as an inspiration and has even done volunteer work for Troma's official fan-run website. Also in the film is Count Gore De Vol, the horror host alter-ego of Emmy winning television personality, who has been featured in cult classic b-movies, such as Cremains and Nightbeast. He also was able to attain music from Asian Man Records founder Mike Park and his former band, The Chinkees, not to mention music from independent musicians from West Virginia and other areas, such as
Sixty Dollars, Cryptorchid Chipmunk, XAbsolute PowerX, Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and more.

Raising The Stakes is now availible on DVD-R from Ohio based independent film distributor Freak Productions, who released the infamous horror anthology Faces of Schlock earlier this year. The DVD retails for $10 at the Freak Productions website, www.freakproductions.net and more information on the film is available at www.raisingthestakes.co.nr.

The DVD release is packed with extra features and authored by Henrique Couto, Freak Productions's head honcho. His other work includes the independent releases of the films of Low Budget Pictures, 4th Floor Pictures, Dudez Productions, and Apparition Films. The extras on the disc include:

Audio commentary from writer/director Justin Channell, stars Josh
Lively, Zane Crosby, and MANY other special guests!
Forty minutes of hilarious outtakes
Deleted scenes, including two rarely-seen alternate endings
Footage from various screenings
Featurette: Dubbing The Stakes
Bonus Short Film: Killing Gregory, with commentary from Channell and outtakes
Live Music from Cryptorchid Chipmunk and Jon Bolden
Trailers

Roger Corman Slated for NYC Horror Film Festival

2005-10-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

The NYC Horror Film Festival returns to Lower Manhattan to bring the best new and classic horror films to the Big Apple. The festival runs Oct. 19-23 at Tribeca Cinemas and is presented by Moodude Films, in conjunction with sponsors HorrorNet and Dark Castle Entertainment.

"With over fifty feature and short films in our competition series, the 2005 Festival will be our biggest to date," said Festival Director Michael J. Hein. "Plus the festival will host a huge kick off party and offer screenings of some of the most buzzed new horror films in the world. Along with a few classic horror films in our invited programs, this year’s festival will be an event horror fans and filmmakers will not want to miss!"

The New York City Horror Film Festival also hosts a slew of special events each year. 2005 events include:

The 2005 NYC Horror Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award (Saturday, Oct 22. 10:00pm): The festival will honor legendary Director/Producer Roger Corman (Pit and the Pendulum, The Masque of the Red Death). Roger Corman is back with a vengeance with a slate of new and exciting films for 2005-2006. Mr. Corman will be in attendance to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award and present a special screening of his classic film The Masque of the Red Death staring Vincent Price.

Tobe Hooper's Mortuary (Thursday, Oct. 21 8 pm) The NYCHFF is extremely excited to have the world premiere of Tobe Hooper’s new film Mortuary. The festival will open with the 2004 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient’s new film with this very special screening event. Starring Denise Crosby.

Three Extremes (Friday, Oct. 21 10 pm): The Festival will offer a special screening of Lion’s Gate Films new Japanese anthology Three Extremes. Exploring the outer limits of the macabre, Lions' Gate Films' THREE...EXTREMES is a bracing triptych of horror stories uniting three of East Asia’s most compelling directors – Japanese cult figure Takashi Miike, Hong Kong’s Fruit Chan, and Korea’s award-winning Chan-Wook Park

JAWS (Sunday, Oct. 23 7:30pm): The Festival will host a special screening of one of the most important and entertaining horror films of all time. Steven Spielberg's JAWS will close the festival with a new 35mm print, this is the way the film is meant to be seen.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Friday, Oct. 21 12:00am) A very special screening of the ultimate cult classic for a good cause. All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross to help hurricane victims of the recent back-to-back storms that has devastated the Gulf States. The film will be accompanied by The Home of Happiness players who will perform along with the film live including FULL audience participation.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (Sunday, Oct. 23 12:00pm): This year, The Festival has put together a very special Halloween pre-event for children and adults, and will screen Tim Burton’s cult classic " A Nightmare Before Christmas ". The program will also have, free goody bags for the kids and a special emcee. (tba)

Kick Off Party at Don Hills (Wednesday, October 19, 7:00pm) Simply put, is the horror event of the year. Last year over 300 hundred attendees partied the night away at Don Hill's to usher in the festival. With short film screenings, live bands, and a one-hour of open bar at the world famous rock bar Don Hills (511 Greenwich St. NYC) our party is the ultimate rockin’ Halloween event. (Open to the public)

Filmmakers Discussion Panel (Sunday, Oct. 24, 12:00pm): Each year we have a lively discussion panel, including audience participation, on topics such as: The State of the modern horror film, Film vs. DV, the reality of independent distribution, and more. This is a must for filmmakers, film students and serious horror fans! 2005 panelists include Joe Bob Briggs and Bill Lustig (Producer/Director), Kim Bangash (HorrorNet President).

For full festival lineup, tickets, and details about the huge, open-to-the-public kick-off party visit www.nychorrorfest.com.

German Horror Flick Chain Reaction Set for February

2005-10-16T16:06:00.000-07:00

Christopher, from the fantastic German horror web site www.gruselseite.com, dropped Really Scary a line about a new horror flick.

Chain Reaction is a german prouction and was directed by Olaf Ittenbach (Premutos - Lord of the Living Dead, Riverplay, Legion of the Dead, Beyond the Limits).

On his way to work Dr. Douglas Madsen in his car collides with a prison bus - a bizarre accident, caused by an incredible chain reaction! The four surviving prisoners kill all the guards and decide to flee over the nearby canadien border. They force Doug to join then as one of the group is severly injured and a doctor could be of help.

After a couple of hours marching through the wilderness they - unexpectedly - come upon a very old, mysterious and gigantic house. But even more mysterious seem the residents. The eremit "family" wears medieval clothes and speaks an ancient dialect! Only Alice, a a young women seems to differ from the rest of the family.

The German release of Chain Reaction will be in February 2006. An international release will also be soon.

Check out the official site here.

Trailer & Synopsis for Doom

2005-09-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

Doom Synopsis: Something has gone wrong at a remote scientific research station on Mars. All research has ceased. Communication has failed. And the messages that do get through are less than comforting. It’s a level 5 quarantine and the only souls allowed in or out are the Rapid Response Tactical Squad - hardened marines armed to the teeth with enough firepower to neutralize any enemy... or so they think. The research being done at Odluvai station has unwittingly opened a door and all hell has broken loose. A legion of nightmarish creatures of unknown origin lurk behind every wall and stalk the countless rooms and tunnels of the facility, killing what few people remain.

Sealing off the portal to Earth, Sarge (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), Reaper (Karl Urban) and their team must use every weapon at their disposal– and some they find along the way– to carry out their orders; nothing gets out alive. The game that electrified a generation leaps from the computer screen to the big screen as a terrifying science-fiction action adventure that will transport moviegoers to a dark and disturbing future with all the visceral excitement and horror that made its gaming predecessor a global phenomenon.

Doom is directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak (Cradle 2 the Grave) and produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Constantine) and John Wells (Far From Heaven, White Oleander).

Below's the trailer:

Windows Media Medium
Windows Media High

Quicktime Medium
Quicktime High

New Trailer for LovecraCked! The Movie

2005-09-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

The new trailer for, "LovecraCked! The Movie", the H.P. Lovecraft inspired feature anthology from BiFF JUGGERNAUT Productions, is now available for download/stream at the film's official site.

An eclectic mix of horror and comedy, "LovecraCked! The Movie" is an international effort with directors from the UK, Sweden & Texas to name a few. The film also features, amongst others, an appearance by B-Horror film guru, Lloyd Kaufman, and offers a little something for Lovecraft & Horror fans alike. "LovecraCked! The Movie" is currently in the final stages of postproduction.

Horror Author News Round-Up

2005-09-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

F. Paul Wilson's The Keep is getting a 5-issue graphic miniseries treatment from IDW (30 Days of Nights). It's set for launch this month.

Nicholas Kaufmann reports the sale of "Under the Skin" to City Slab Magazine, scheduled for their next issue, #7.

Ray Garton has decided to go in a new direction with his fiction, and Lonely Road Books is publishing the first two "Arthur Darknell" books as a special deluxe Limited Edition Double. Read more about it at: http://www.lonelyroadbooks.com.

Naked Snake Press will be publishing the Travel Guide to the Haunted Mid-Atlantic Region, featuring a story by Really Scary' own Valarie Thorpe and Diane Giles. No word yet on a release date.

Ricardo Porven and Luis Diaz follow up their original take on the Apocalypse, Three Days the Devil Danced, with a short tale based on the modern myth of the Chupacabra. The story debuts in the August issue of Lo-Fi Magazine.

Matthew Warner has released a free audio book of himself reading the first story of his collection Death Sentences. "Middle Passage" dramatizes the conditions aboard an 18th-century slave ship bringing Africans to the New World. It’s available at
matthewwarner.com/middlepassage.htm.

Video Preview & Pics for Supernatural

2005-09-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a video preview, pics and show description for Supernatural, a WB show that looks like it might hit with genre fans.

Supernatural stars Jared Padalecki ("Gilmore Girls," "House of Wax,") and Jensen Ackles ("Smallville," "Dark Angel,") and airs Tuesdays (9:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on The WB Television Network.

Sam Winchester (Padalecki) has done his best to escape his family's eerie history. Unlike his older brother, Dean (Ackles), Sam rejected their father's obsessive quest to uncover the evil forces that claimed the life of the boys' mother. Putting as much distance as possible between himself and his family, Sam left home right after high school and went away to college. His new life included a beautiful and loving girlfriend and plans to enter law school. Dean, however, took a very different path, following their father into the "family business." When Dean arrived on Sam's doorstep with the news that their father has vanished, Sam had no choice but to put his personal plans on hold and join Dean on the road.

After four years apart, the reunited brothers are getting to know one another again, and their familiar sibling rivalries are never far from the surface. Despite the strange childhood they shared, these boys turned out to have very different views of the world. Dean still idolizes his father and, although he often appears cocky and fearless, in reality he is haunted by memories of his mother's violent death. Sam was too young to remember the awful night that their mother died and has never fully accepted the frightening path his father and brother have followed.

A mysterious phone message from their father leads the Winchester brothers to a California town plagued by a series of unexplained deaths. They soon come face-to-face with the local legend of a Lady in White -- a ghostly and beautiful hitchhiker who wanders country roads by night, luring young men to their doom. Although they don't find their father, Dean and Sam discover his journal and try to decipher his writings for clues that will help them destroy the spirit.

Once the job is done, Sam tries to return to college life but finds that the malevolent force that claimed his mother has now taken his girlfriend in the same unthinkable way. Fueled by rage, sorrow and guilt, Sam suddenly understands his father's obsession. Like Dean, Sam is now totally committed to the hunt for answers and, ultimately, for revenge.

Bound by tragedy and blood to their dangerous, otherworldly mission, the brothers travel from the Colorado wilderness to the Nebraska farmlands and on to the isolated Wisconsin lakes, encountering creatures that most people believe only exist in folklore, superstition and nightmares: the terrifying Bloody Mary, the brutal Native American beast known as the Wendigo, the man with a hook who haunts lovers' lanes and the dark phantom travelers who portend a violent plane crash. As they follow the clues in their father's journal, the brothers realize that he has passed on to them all the knowledge he accumulated during the past 20 years. What they can't understand is why he has vanished and left them to carry on without him.

Taking up the mantle of their father's crusade, Sam and Dean crisscross the lonely and mysterious back roads of the country in their '67 Chevy Impala, searching for their missing father -- and hunting down every evil supernatural force they encounter along the way.
Click here for a quicktime video preview.

Preview Video, Pics & Info for Invasion

2005-09-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

We've gotten some information, images and video clips for Invasion, an upcoming TV series that look promising.

For centuries, humans have searched the skies for signs of intelligent life...to no avail. But what if the explanation lies in the fact that aliens were already here...already among us? And what if all of the natural disasters we have been experiencing of late were smokescreens designed to mask something far more ominous?

From Shaun Cassidy Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Production Inc. comes "Invasion," starring William Fichtner, Eddie Cibrian, Lisa Sheridan, Invasion airs Wednesdays (10:00 - 11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on ABC.

Dedicated U.S. Park Ranger Russell Varon is a divorced father of two kids--Jesse and Rose -- and is expecting a third child with his new wife, local television reporter Larkin Groves. For Russell, who works with fellow Ranger Mona Gomez, a devastating hurricane and its mysterious aftermath prove to be merely the beginning of a long journey into the unknown.

Always skeptical about the paranoid conspiracy theories of his wayward brother-in-law, Dave, Russell may have to revise his thinking when a number of bizarre occurrences start taking place in his community. Although Rose claims to have seen hundreds of lights floating towards the water during the storm, Russell initially dismisses her claim -- until he begins to suspect that something is very wrong with his ex-wife, Dr. Mariel Underlay. The morning after the storm, Mariel is found naked in the water -- with no memory of what transpired the night before.

As the tiny Everglades town of Homestead, Florida, struggles to rebuild itself, Sheriff Tom Underlay -- who is now married to Mariel and raising his daughter, Kira -- suspiciously orders the entire area quarantined. Russell begins to investigate the strange goings on and unwittingly begins a fight for the survival of his family, his community, and what might ultimately be the human race.

Click here for a quicktime preview video.

Principal Shooting Wraps on The Bunker

2005-09-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

Joe Monks announced on principal photography on his first film, The Bunker, wrapped successfully, just days prior to Hurricane Katrina striking Miami.

"We got everything we needed here," said Monks. "We sewed up about 85 percent of the film during our four days of shooting. With the bulk of our material in the can and everybody very happy with the dailies, now we can concentrate on our location shooting in New York and Los Angeles."

The Bunker, the story of a sadistic serial killer who kidnaps the daughter of a U.S. Congressman and which Monks also wrote, will be released next year as the second installment of the Flowers on the Razorwire DVD series. It will include a 16 page comic book, and while not all details on the book are ready to be revealed, Monks confirmed on his web site that both stories will be written by himself, and at least one will be illustrated by long-time collaborator Mike Koneful. Koneful has been an integral part of Monks' horror anthology, Zacherley's Midnite Terrors, and who will be half the art team on the upcoming zombie series: Gory Lori.

The director, who went blind in 2002 due to diabetic retinopathy, also promises a much longer outing with this film.

"The first Flowers DVD was shot as a television pilot for the horror-hungry Asian market, based on one of my short stories, Chance Meeting. So a half hour is what we shot. When the pilot wasn't picked up, we wanted to release it to our fans, so we put on a bunch of extras, and put it out. But since I have total control over this film, we're shooting first and worrying about running time later. Right now, we're extremely happy with the footage we have. We've discussed feature length, but that determination will be made later, after our second unit and location material is in the can."

On being a first-time director, coupled with doing it without eyesight, Monks says, "The crew and cast were fantastic. I gave them pretty comprehensive direction; I told them what I wanted, and they gave me what I asked for. Terry (West, who plays the sadistic kidnapper and serial murderer) and Saskia (Gonzalez, who portrays the daughter of U.S. Congressman Robert Jennings) worked their asses off. I couldn't be happier. Our DP, Vallo Lleo, spent another night in Miami just to digitize the footage to go cut a trailer for his reel. I think the fact that I'm blind was a non-factor almost from the get-go. Everybody had their job, I had plenty of pairs of eyes I trust on set to make sure what I wanted to get shot got shot."

Although Monks had a comprehensive game plan going in, this being filmmaking, even the best laid plans were occasionally thrown awry. "We lost our main power source for the camera on Sunday, of course, when finding a replacement was ten times more difficult. We had some weather noise infringing on the set at times that we needed to work around, but we made do. We also changed a scene that same Sunday to take advantage of our effects artist, Laura Bissessar, who stuck around and came up with something on-the-fly that really added impact and punch to a scene I literally re-wrote on the spot. I think the ability of our crew to overcome and adapt made that scene much more powerful than it had been originally, and our actors were able to rise to the occasion even with the last minute changes.

Yeah, we had hassles, but compared to horror stories I hear from other directors, I had people willing to go to any lengths to make this happen. I think people are going to be surprised at our final product."

Spooky Hometown Horror Writing Contest

2005-08-01T18:03:00.000-07:00

What's spooky about your town? Horror World's Matthew Warner is sponsoring a writing contest to find out. Send in a 300-word essay, and you might win a $10 Shocklines gift certificate plus publication as a sidebar to a future "Author's Notes" column. Deadline: August 24, 2005. Guidelines: http://www.horrorworld.org/columns.htm

Joe Monks Begins Pre-Production on The Bunker

2005-08-01T17:58:00.000-07:00

Horror author and comic book creator Joe Monks has announced that the official web site for his new film, The Bunker, is now up and running and can be found at: http://www.sightunseenpictures.com. The site features information about the film, the director, the unique story behind this venture, cast & crew information, a film blog, and information on becoming a producer, among other things.

Monks, who is blind, has been working on the film for the better part of a year, completing the script, purchasing equipment, and finally beginning pre-production this past June.

The Bunker is the story of Julia Jennings, the daughter of a New York State congressman, who has run away in the wake of his announcing his bid for reelection. The hardnosed New York politico has dealt with this once before, but this time if word leaks out it is certain to mean scandal--the kind of scandal that could bring down his reelection bid. The congressman decides to go outside the law, hiring some shady private help in looking for his daughter. Jennings is willing to pay people to find the missing teenager, hiring the kind of men used to finding people. People who don't want to be found. But unbeknownst to those seeking the 16 year old runaway, Julia has been snatched off the street by a sadistic kidnapper and serial murderer. The maniac has secreted Julia away in an underground bunker, setting the countdown to the girl's slaughter in motion. Julia knows exactly when her final hour will arrive, but what tortures await her in the meantime?

Monks, whose story "Chance Meeting" was optioned for the screen by Japanese publishing powerhouses Bunkasha in tandem with DK Publishing for the first installment of the Flowers on the Razorwire DVD series, steps behind the camera this time out, to direct the piece, from his own original screenplay. While he understands that being blind is a significant hurdle, it is not the only one he has to overcome.

"This isn't about being a blind guy who happens to be making a film," Monks told The Hacker's Source. "This is about making a movie despite being blind. Every director has hurdles to overcome. I happen to have a unique one most don't have to consider. The bottom line is, though, can I make a good film, and can I bring my vision to the screen, regardless of whether or not I can see it?"

Monks has lined up some seasoned help in bringing his characters to life. Terry M. West (Flesh For The Beast) portrays the menacing, child-abducting madman, and producer/director Ted A. Bohus (Return of the Aliens Deadly Spawn, Nightbeast, Hell On Earth) stars as the savvy congressman who will do anything to be reelected. Debuting as Julia is Miami theatre actress Saskia Gonzalez, who Monks believes is going to be an instant hit with the horror crowd.

"Saskia has a scream that shook the tripod," Monks told Robert Able of indy film site In The Meatgrinder. "She's got instant scream queen written all over her, and she can definitely go beyond that in future roles. She isn't just a one-dimensional victim with a great set of lungs, she can deliver a line, hit her cues and she's believable. I think fans are going to love her from the minute she appears on screen."

The Bunker, which will be the second installment of the Flowers on the Razorwire film series, is expected to wrap second unit photography in October. Principal photography begins August 19th in Miami, with location shooting in both New York and Los Angeles before the end of the year. Monks expects the film to be ready by the beginning of 2006, with an eye on the 2006 film festival season to showcase it.

"We have already had inquiries about showing it at certain festivals and we haven't shot a frame," the blind director said in a statement. "I know we're a curiosity, but that's still a pretty good upside, particularly if my team delivers the kind of product I believe they can."

Monks has engineered a low-priced buy-in program to those interested in supporting the project, with info available on both the official http://www.joemonks.com web site and the newly launched http://www.sightunseenpictures.com web site. Those buying certain items from Monks' vast catalog of prior work will get to see their names roll in the credits as supporting producers, helping finance the film, and keeping Monks from having to rely on producers or investors who often want a say in how the filmmaking process goes.

"I only get one shot at doing this my way," says Monks. "Next time around, who knows? But for my first film, I want control over everything...even the stuff I can't see. If this is going to be my vision, then I want final say in the decisionmaking, not somebody telling me I can't shoot something or interfering because they wrote a check."

McKean & Gaiman Talk MirrorMask

2005-07-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a still from MirrorMask, the upcoming film from director Dave McKean and writer Neil Gaiman. Teaming up with the Jim Henson Company, they combine live action with digital animation.

MirrorMask tells the story of Helena (Leonidas), a fifteen-year-old girl working for her family circus, who wishes-quite ironically-that she could run away from the circus and join real life. But such is not to be the case, as she finds herself on a strange journey into the Dark Lands. On her quest to return home, Helena searches for the Mirrormask, an object of enormous power, which is her only hope of escaping the Dark Lands.

When discussing the film, director Dave McKean is brutally frank about the process. "I don’t know where to start," McKean said. "Every day was a steep learning experience...I would say I have learned most about my own strengths and weaknesses. I have a tendency to fall in love with the purity of a formal solution to a problem, and then I just become blind to its possible flaws, and any little changes made feel like they are watering down the idea. I think this caused several difficulties on the film, and I think I'll be conscious of that tunnel vision from now on.

"Editing is always a wondrous experience, an alchemical experience. But on this film, working with an editor really for the first time, and noticing his approach, continually 'on the story', was a big lesson. Any block of dialogue in the script longer than three lines looked suspiciously like fat needing to be trimmed. We cut our penultimate edit, which didn't have any scenes or large chunks to shed, down by ten minutes just by trimming frames, and the odd shot. I have no idea where all that fat came from, but it really helped.

I have also learned that you don't start up a new computer-rendering studio during production. The little blighters need at least three months to get to know each other before an animator goes anywhere near them. And finally, I learned that computers are as human as the rest of us. Our technical director named all the machines after different bands. The four Macs in the edit suite were named after the Beatles; fair enough, I was John. But then we needed a fifth so he named it Yoko, and they all stopped talking to each other."

In addition to the potent collaboration of McKean and Gaiman, according to the writer, the inspiration for the story's setting is just as inspiring. "Dave and I created the story and script for MirrorMask in the Henson family home in London," Gaiman said. "Surrounded by memorabilia and artifacts from Jim Henson's astonishing career in television and fantasy filmmaking. It was a true challenge and inspiration to try to make something today that would be as visually rich, creative, funny and as moving as Jim Henson’s original works."

Z'Dar, Estevez & Quigley in The Rockville Slayer

2005-07-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

Marc Selz (Short Cut Road) has wrapped The Rockville Slayer. Starring Joe Estevez, Robert Z'Dar and Linnea Quigley, the film should have foreign and domestic DVD release soon. Check out the trailer and web site at www.therockvilleslayer.com. The film was shot in HD 24p.

Raw Dog Picks Up Matthew Warner's Latest

2005-07-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

Horror author Matthew Warner has sold Eyes Everywhere to Raw Dog Screaming Press. This psychological suspense tale about a young father teetering between paranoia and insanity will ship in August 2006 in both limited and trade hardcover editions. Afterword by Gary A. Braunbeck. Click here for more info.

Horror Business Premieres at Visionfest

2005-07-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

Anyone with aspirations in independent horror filmmaking would do well to attend the world premiere of Christopher P. Garetano's documentary Horror Business when it kicks off the Fright Night lineup at VisionFest 05: The Other Festival (New York City’s Tribeca Cinemas - 54 Varick Street) Friday, July 22.

The first full-length feature from Garetano, whose short Inside was seen on Fangoria's Blood Drive DVD, Horror Business is a look into the lives of guerrilla fright filmmakers and a wry analysis of the passions and desires which compel them to strive for the top, whether they fail or triumph at their tasks. The documentary features interviews with genre personalities such as Sid Haig, Joe Bob Briggs, Herschell Gordon Lewis and Fango’s own Tony Timpone, along with day-in-the-life segments focusing on indie filmmakers Mark Borchardt (American Movie), Ron Atkins and others. Many of the directors interviewed in
Horror Business will be in attendance at the premiere. You can find out more about
the documentary at its official website. www.visionfest.com

Dark Sky Films' Upcoming Releases

2005-07-14T05:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a release from new label Dark Sky Films:

"Fresh off our first release, Jim VanBebber's grueling epic THE MANSON
FAMILY, Dark Sky Films has conjured up a hot slab of bleeding-heart cult
classics sure to shake you to your sickened bones. On our list for release August 25 we have the 3-disc boxed set, THE SERIAL KILLERS, featuring interviews with everyone's favorite mass murderers from TED BUNDY and KENNETH BIANCHI, the Hillside Strangler, to DOUGLAS CLARK, the Sunset Slayer, and recent cinema fave RONNIE DEFEO of The Amityville Horror.

Following up this tri-disc killer set is our gem of a find, ARNOLD LAVEN's debut feature WITHOUT WARNING, starring ADAM WILLIAMS, Valerian from Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest. This lost film noir classic from 1952 is considered one of the very first slasher films, and has smooth cool avant jazz from Witch Who Came From the Sea and I Dismember Mama composer Herschel Burke Gilbert. We have a superb transfer of this never-before-released classic from the director of MGM's The Monster That Challenged the World.

We're also pround to offer the first domestic issue of one of the famous Edgar Wallace krimi titles, THE COLLEGE GIRL MURDERS. Starring cult sirens USCHI GLAS (Seven Blood-Stained Orchids) and EWA STROMBERG (Vampyros Lesbos, She Killed in Ecstasy), and Mr. Slugworth himself GUNTER MEISNER (In A Glass Cage, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), this 'way out' bit of German '60s fun is as multicolored as you could hope for and as diabolically fun as only the Germans can make them. Originally titled The Monk with the Whip, you'll also get plenty of the red-robed monk and his white neck-cracking whip.

And on September 27th, just in time for preview at the east coast Fangoria show, we'll be unveiling our newest collector's prize: our 2-disc Special Edition for JOHN MCNAUGHTON'S HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, starring Michael Rooker (Slither, The Dark Half) and Tom Towles (The Devil's Rejects House of 1000 Corpses). This new high-definition transfer, personally supervised by the director, includes brand-new commentary from John McNaughton; Deleted Scenes and Outtakes with commentary by John McNaughton; a new documentary from Blue Underground's David Gregory "Portrait: The Making of Henry" featuring the director and cast and crew interviews with Rooker, Towles and Tracy Arnold; a documentary on Henry Lee Lucas from The Serial Killers set; still gallery and storyboards; trailers; and a very special bonus reversible sleeve featuring artist Joe Coleman's original banned artwork for Henry.

If you find yourself up at the FanTasia show this July 15th, we'll have some of these special sleeves onhand for Joe to sign at his special event that evening (www.fantasiafestival.com) so you can slip them in when the Special Edition is released September 27th. Also, if you're in the New York area, we expect to have special midnight screenings of a brand-new print of the film on the 23rd and 24th, during Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors.

We have several other titles coming out during this year and next, including JACK CURTIS' THE FLESH EATERS with special notes from producer ARNOLD DRAKE, HAJIME (Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell) SATO'S TERROR BENEATH THE SEA starring SONNY CHIBA, and GERT FROBE, Goldfinger himself, in WET ASPHALT. And for 2006, we have JAYNE MANSFIELD in DOG EAT DOG, WEREWOLVES ON WHEELS, and Richard Attenborough's classic MAGIC, and we've made special friends with the original Fats the doll from the film. If you're lucky, and find yourself at a convention we're at, you just might get to meet him... www.darkskyfilms.com